


Concerto

by a_salty_alto



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Spoilers, Bittersweet Ending, Character Study, Infinity Gauntlet, Infinity Gems, M/M, Possibly Unrequited Love, Post-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), mostly internal thoughts, well stones bc mcu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-07-01
Packaged: 2019-05-31 21:57:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15128648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_salty_alto/pseuds/a_salty_alto
Summary: This isn’t the first time Steve’s been bombarded with a thousand new sensations at once, but the cacophony of sights and sounds in TImes Square from when Steve first awoke in the future is nothing compared to the sheer amount of information that floods Steve’s mind once he’s wielding the full power of the Infinity Gauntlet.





	Concerto

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Missy_dee811](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Missy_dee811/gifts).



> This a fill for the Stony Loves Steve exchange for the lovely Missy_dee811, using the short prompt "Infinity Stones" I hiope you like it :)

This isn’t the first time Steve’s been bombarded with a thousand new sensations at once, but the cacophony of sights and sounds in TImes Square from when Steve first awoke in the future is nothing compared to the sheer amount of information that floods Steve’s mind once he’s wielding the full power of the Infinity Gauntlet.

 

He can feel everything. Thanks to the serum, Steve had been able to hear the pounding hearts and ragged breaths on this alien battlefield as they fought Thanos for the gauntlet. Now, he can _feel_ the life within them. And the complete lack of life in Tony.

 

Steve is the most powerful being in the universe. He can hear the stone’s whisper in his mind, telling him all he could do with just _one_ of them.

 

Time is a flute playing a slow waltz, showing Steve  how he could go to the ‘40s and make up for all the time he’d lost. It sings to him as Steve sees himself dance with Peggy. He helps her and Howard build SHIELD, and he’s sure to burn all of HYDRA’s necks before it even has the chance to grow back. He could go back and prevent all the deaths by their hands. Steve could walk into a brighter future, instead of having everything pass him by.

 

Power is a heavy drum beating with Steve’s heart. If Steve could protect everything he held dear. They wouldn’t have another Lagos or Sokovia. Steve could stop threats before they’d even get the chance to put that many innocent people in danger again.

 

Sharp trumpets ring through Steve’s mind as Space offers him the universe. He could be everywhere at once. Be anywhere he was needed as soon as trouble arose. Be a watchful eye over everyone in the universe.

 

Mind is the honeyed sound of a thousand violins, cutting through the silence left by everything that goes unsaid. Steve wouldn’t have to worry about people’s agendas sending the Avengers wherever they wanted to further their own goals, because they wouldn’t be able to hide it from him. All the secrets and lies and half truths people used to manipulate others would be laid bare before him.

 

The low bass of Reality brings Steve back to when he was sitting on the bed of a crappy motel, staring at a flip phone, gently rubbing a finger over the call button. Never going to press it because Steve doesn’t want to pressure Tony. He wants to give Tony space to make the first call. ~~He doesn’t press it because he’s too scared. Scared that Tony’s just another thing that’s moved on from the man out of time~~ ~~.~~ The stone, pulsing and blood red like a heart, offers  make it so Steve presses the call button, so that he’d told Tony how he felt before Tony proposed to Pepper. To fix things so Tony is with him at the battle in Wakanda, so that at least they can lose together.

 

And with the Gauntlet? Steve is the conductor. A flick of his wrist and any section of this orchestra would speed up or slow down or become louder or grow softer or even come to a complete stop. Steve can  do whatever he wants.

 

But he can’t.

 

Peggy lived her own life, it isn’t fair for Steve to go back and change that.

 

More power would only lead to more destruction.

 

Steve can’t be an ever watchful sentinel for the universe.

 

No matter the person, Steve has no right to simply invade their mind.

 

Reality is as it is. Steve was too late. He waited too long, and he’d have to live with the consequences, even as he watched the man he loved marry someone else.

 

With the stones ringing out in perfect harmony, begging him to use them for more, Steve closes his eyes and  focuses on the one thing he wants. To bring them all back.

 

Everyone who’d crumpled to dust.

 

Everyone who’d died in the fallout from Thanos’s snap

 

Nebula’s sister.

 

Thor’s friends and brother.

 

Tony.

 

The crescendo rises as the universe acquiesces to Steve’s instructions. The stones refuse to be destroyed, so Steve scatters them. Leaves them with people Steve knows would give their lives to protect them. They won’t be allowed to wreak this much havoc ever again.

 

It’s time for the finale ultimo

 

_Not so fast, Captain._ A voice Steve hasn’t heard outside his nightmares in a long time, _There’s still Soul to consider. If you're going to use it will require a price._

 

“I’m willing’ to pay anything’ Schmitt, you should know that already.” Steve says. Sacrificing himself for the people he cares about is something Steve gets from his mother. She worked herself to the bone trying to help him when he was too sick to even move, and now Steve will do the same ~~not that he ever stopped since he crashed that plane into the ice all those years ago.~~

 

“Take your price,”

 

Pain shoots up Steve’s arm and he the music grows softer as he closes his eyes.

* * *

 

The shock of still being able to wake up is another sensation that Steve is used to. As he blinks his eyes open, Steve can see Sam and Bucky’s worried expressions.

 

_Sam and Bucky._ Steve jumps up and pulls them both into a tight hug.

 

He looks around to see that everyone is back back at the Compound. Around him, people are hugging and crying and laughing. They’re all here.

 

Steve scans the crowd for a familiar flash of red and gold, but he can’t see it.

 

* * *

 

They’re allowed to stay  at the Compound, but without Tony,  home is still a little lacking.

 

The Avengers are still fighting to protect the innocent. Apparently not even a tragedy of Biblical proportions can stop villains from trying to take over the world.

 

The call to Assemble rings out.

 

Steve springs into action, pulling on the uniform Tony made him.

 

As he runs towards the quinjet hangar, Steve’s hand goes to one of the many pockets on his new suit, the one just over his heart where an orange stone hums softly. If Steve closes his eyes and listens closely, he can hear a piano that sounds suspiciously like  the sharp tongue of a genius whose body was left to the stars whispering “Be safe, Steve. Win.”


End file.
